A naturally occurring biomaterial for medical implantation is more desirable that a synthetic implant. Synthetic implants tend to cause adverse reactions in a patient, including thrombosis, immune responses, and potentially restenosis in vascular applications. Therefore, a medical implant that reduces or eliminates these problems is a technical advance.
Collagenous biomaterials are known to be used in medical applications as medical devices. As a naturally occurring biomaterial, the implant produces less complications than a synthetic implant. Collagen is used as an abundant source of protein, and is most notably derived from bovine skin. Collagen forms a matrix that is useable as an implant. However, as a biomaterial, it does not have good manipulation properties, unless treated in other ways. In addition, one problem with these materials is that collagen biomaterials also carry with them antigens which cause an immune response in the patient. Therefore, a product that behaves like collagen in vivo yet is highly manipulative and elicits less to no negative immune response is a technical achievement.